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Yeah - you read that right and no, I wasn't sure if this was the place to pose that question. I realise it's hardly a pressing issue, but it's something I've often wondered about.
As you'll see from my signature, I have two SL350's - a K0 and a K2. It's been a while now but from what I can remember, I put a later camshaft into the earlier bike (I think the original was pitted and/or comparatively it's a very heavy lump), and so with the exception of the starter motor they're essentially the same engine, with minor internal differences like piston dome shape and valve sizes. That being the case, I assumed they'd behave pretty much identically when it came to processes like combustion.
But when I run them they have very distinct exhaust smells about them. Until we have smellavision, I'm not going to be able to demonstrate what I'm talking about, but trust me when I say they're very significantly different. Not in a bad way - both engines have been rebuilt and run fine with no smoke and no burnt oil - but the odours aren't the same.
I assume it's probably got something to do with the carburation: the K0 has vacuum slide Mikuni carbs whereas the K2 has cable slide Kehins. I s'pose it's possible they atomise fuel in different ways which results in a different exhaust composition, but I kinda thought fuel was fuel and that it just burns when ignited. And I guess that's why I'm not a chemist . . .
So whatd'y'all reckon?
As you'll see from my signature, I have two SL350's - a K0 and a K2. It's been a while now but from what I can remember, I put a later camshaft into the earlier bike (I think the original was pitted and/or comparatively it's a very heavy lump), and so with the exception of the starter motor they're essentially the same engine, with minor internal differences like piston dome shape and valve sizes. That being the case, I assumed they'd behave pretty much identically when it came to processes like combustion.
But when I run them they have very distinct exhaust smells about them. Until we have smellavision, I'm not going to be able to demonstrate what I'm talking about, but trust me when I say they're very significantly different. Not in a bad way - both engines have been rebuilt and run fine with no smoke and no burnt oil - but the odours aren't the same.
I assume it's probably got something to do with the carburation: the K0 has vacuum slide Mikuni carbs whereas the K2 has cable slide Kehins. I s'pose it's possible they atomise fuel in different ways which results in a different exhaust composition, but I kinda thought fuel was fuel and that it just burns when ignited. And I guess that's why I'm not a chemist . . .
So whatd'y'all reckon?